Tratacal

What Tratacal does

Tratacal S.A. is a Chilean open corporation (Sociedad Anónima Abierta) that holds an exclusive 27-year concession — granted via public tender on February 1, 2007 and formalized by Ministry of Public Works decree N°252 — to operate the wastewater treatment and final-disposal service for the city of Calama, capital of El Loa Province in the Antofagasta Region. The concession runs until December 29, 2033 and is regulated by the Superintendencia de Servicios Sanitarios (SISS), which sets and periodically reviews tariffs under Ley 18.902 and DFL N°70/1988. The company operates a single physical asset, the Planta de Tratamiento de Aguas Servidas (PTAS) at Hurtado de Mendoza S/N, Quebrada de Quetena, Calama, with a workforce of 28 employees as of December 31, 2022.

The core technology is a conventional biological aerobic wastewater treatment plant: a Water Line (screening of large solids and inorganics, grit and grease removal, activated-sludge aeration basin, secondary clarification, chlorine disinfection, effluent discharge into the Quebrada de Quetena) and a Sludge Line (aerobic digestion, dewatering, and disposal or reuse). A new 33-meter-diameter, 4-meter-deep reinforced-concrete secondary clarifier was commissioned starting in January 2023, representing a CLP 1.2 billion (~USD 1.3M) investment advanced four years ahead of the 2021–2036 Development Plan. Operations are powered by 100% renewable electricity under a 2021 agreement with Engie Chile (4,226 MWh), and the plant has been subject to an uninterrupted external odor monitoring program since 2007 under the German VDI 3883 Part 2 methodology.

Revenue is generated primarily through regulated SISS sanitary tariffs on the Calama concession (recurring subscription-like stream) and secondarily through three transactional third-party services: discontinuous sale of treated wastewater at the plant outlet for road irrigation and construction works, authorized reception of septic-truck (limpia fosas) waste under DS SEGPRES N°609, and reception of stabilized sludge from other regional treatment plants under DS4 (operational since January 2017). Ownership is concentrated in three shareholders: Icafal Inversiones S.A. (50%), Inmobiliaria TIKAL S.A. (45.2%), and Inversiones Don Julián Limitada (4.8%); the board is chaired by Juan José Diéguez Manfredini with Víctor Ramírez Figueroa serving as Gerente General. Beyond the regulated utility core, the company operates an annual Fondos Concursables community grant program (running since 2012, with over 21,000 beneficiaries and CLP 110M+ disbursed), a community arborization project with the Municipality of Calama and CONAF, the Biochar R&D initiative with Universidad Católica del Norte, and a Modelo de Prevención de Delitos under Law 20.393 implemented in June 2025.

Name

Tratacal

Legal name

Tratacal S.A.

Website

https://tratacal.cl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tratacal S.A. is a Chilean regulated wastewater utility operating the exclusive 27-year SISS concession (2007–2033) to treat and dispose of Calama's municipal wastewater, complemented by third-party treated-water sales, septic-truck reception, and stabilized-sludge reception services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wastewater Treatment Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Groundwater Extraction, Treatment & Discharge (Pump-and-Treat, reinjection) (BPALAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality Testing & Treatment for Irrigation (Filtration, Chemigation Support) (AFACAFAL), Water Treatment, Filtration & Recirculation (RO, UV, Sterilization) (AFAAAHAH)

Keywords

• Wastewater treatment services
• Sewage treatment operations
• Sanitary concession services
• Water utility management
• Sewage sludge processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Calama

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Sanitary concession tariffs for wastewater treatment: Regulated, recurring revenue stream earned under a 27-year concession (Feb 2007 – Dec 29, 2033) granted by the Chilean Ministry of Public Works for the disposition of wastewater from the city of Calama. Tariffs are set and periodically reviewed by the Superintendencia de Servicios Sanitarios (SISS).
2. Sale of treated wastewater: Discontinuous, transactional sale of treated wastewater at the plant outlet (post-disinfection chamber), primarily for road irrigation and construction works in Calama and surrounding areas via tanker trucks.
3. Reception of septic-truck (limpia fosas) waste: Authorized discharge agreements with companies operating septic-truck fleets to receive and treat residual wastewater at the PTAS in compliance with DS SEGPRES N°609.
4. Reception of stabilized sludge from other treatment plants: Service available since January 2017 to receive stabilized sludge from other wastewater treatment plants compliant with DS4.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tratacal S.A. operates the Planta de Tratamiento de Aguas Servidas (PTAS) of Calama, Chile under an exclusive 27-year concession (February 1, 2007 – December 29, 2033) granted by the Chilean Ministry of Public Works. The company provides biological aerobic wastewater treatment (screening, grit removal, activated sludge, secondary clarification, chlorine disinfection) and final effluent discharge into the Quebrada de Quetena. It complements the regulated concession with three third-party services: sale of treated wastewater to tanker trucks, reception of septic-truck waste (DS SEGPRES Nº609), and reception of stabilized sludge from other treatment plants (DS4, since January 2017).

Product overview

Tratacal S.A. operates as a single integrated regulated utility rather than a multi-product software platform. The core offering is the Planta de Tratamiento de Aguas Servidas de Calama (PTAS Calama), a physical wastewater treatment concession operated under a 27-year license running until December 29, 2033. Built around this core plant, Tratacal bundles three additional commercial service lines under 'Servicios a Terceros': the Sale of Treated Wastewater (Venta de Aguas Servidas Tratadas), the Reception of Septic Trucks (Recepción de Camiones limpia fosas, compliant with DS SEGPRES N°609), and the Reception of Stabilized Sludge (Recepción de lodos estabilizados, launched in January 2017 under DS4). Layered on top are a set of non-revenue programs: the Biochar Initiative (a 2021 R&D project with Universidad Católica del Norte for soil recovery using treated sludge), the annual Fondos Concursables Tratacal community grants program (run since 2012, with over 21,000 beneficiaries and 110+ million pesos disbursed), the Plan de Relaciones Comunitarias community-relations program, the Compromiso con los Trabajadores worker welfare program, and the Canal de Denuncias whistleblower channel that supports the Modelo de Prevención de Delitos under Law 20.393. Together these constitute the complete portfolio: a regulated utility concession complemented by ancillary commercial services and a substantial corporate social responsibility envelope.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tratamiento de Aguas Servidas (Wastewater Treatment Service) Regulated wastewater treatment and final disposal service operated under a 27-year sanitary concession for the city of Calama, Chile. Process includes screening of large solids and inorganics, sand and grease removal, aerobic biological treatment with oxygen and microorganisms, secondary decantation, chlorination, and discharge into the Quebrada de Quetena natural waterway, with a parallel sludge line (aerobic digestion, dewatering, disposal in the Tratacal Mono Landfill or reuse as soil reconstituent). Customers are residential and commercial wastewater users connected to Calama's sewer network, regulated by the Superintendencia de Servicios Sanitarios (SISS).
• Servicios a Terceros (Third-Party Services) Bundled commercial services leveraging Tratacal's plant infrastructure, comprising: (1) Venta de Aguas Servidas Tratadas — discontinuous sale of treated wastewater from the chlorine contact chamber to tanker trucks for road irrigation and construction works in Calama and surroundings; (2) Recepción de Camiones Limpia Fosas — authorized discharge of residual wastewater from external sanitation haulers under DS SEGPRES Nº609; (3) Recepción de Lodos Estabilizados — reception of stabilized sludge from other regional wastewater treatment plants compliant with DS4, available since January 2017. Customers are industrial buyers (mining and construction), septic-truck operators, and neighboring wastewater treatment plants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21,000+ people directly and indirectly impacted by Fondos Concursables grants; 100+ community projects funded; CLP 110+ million contributed since 2012
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Engie ChilecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term renewable electricity supply agreement under which Engie Chile provided 4,226 MWh of 100% renewable energy for all Tratacal operations during 2021, with the certification documented internationally. Supports Tratacal's commitment to climate-change mitigation and reduces CO2 emissions versus standard grid mix.
• Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific collaboration on the 2021 "Biochar" initiative, which seeks to use sludge from the Calama PTAS to recover degraded agricultural soils in the El Loa province. UCN scientists co-developed the research with Tratacal.
• Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCONAF (represented by Julio Vega, head of the Conservation of Bosque and Xerophytic Systems Department) provided technical advisory support for the "Juntos Arborizamos, Juntos Cuidamos" community arborization project, complementing the "Quiero Mi Barrio" program and the Municipality of Calama.
• Municipality of Calama ("Quiero a Mi Barrio" program)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint community engagement for the sector poniente arborization project (600 native trees). The Municipality supports the initiative with the "Quiero Mi Barrio" program; Mayor Eliecer Chamorro publicly endorsed the project. Treatacal also collaborates with the Municipality on the annual Fondos Concursables evaluation committee and on community campaigns.
• Cámara Chilena de la Construcción (CChC) — Calama branchcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCChC awarded Tratacal the Sello PRO in June 2023 (first company in Calama to receive it) and runs the National Sustainability Mission that visited Tratacal; Past President Carlos Ramírez Leaño highlighted Tratacal as a model for the value chain. The relationship is both reputational (sustainability endorsement) and operational (knowledge transfer).
• Juntas de Vecinos Portal del Inca, San Sebastián y Tierra de tu CorazóncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMulti-year community partnership driving the "Juntos Arborizamos, Juntos Cuidamos" project: planting of 400 trees as a 1,200-meter green barrier in the sector poniente of Calama. Junta leaders coordinate resident participation and ongoing tree care.
• Superintendencia de Servicios Sanitarios (SISS)coreOthersChilean government regulator that grants the concession, sets tariffs, and supervises Tratacal's wastewater operations under Ley 18.902 and DFL N°70/1988; counterpart for the 2021–2036 Development Plan and ongoing investment obligations.
• Rumbo DigitalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal digital agency credited at the bottom of the Tratacal website ("Desarrollado por Rumbo Digital"). Provides website development and maintenance services.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Aguas Andinas S.A. Chile's largest water and wastewater utility, serving the Santiago metropolitan region and operating under the same SISS regulatory framework as Tratacal. Highly comparable in concession-based business model, SISS-regulated tariffs, and wastewater treatment services, but vastly larger scale and multi-region footprint.
• Sembcorp Industries (Chile water operations): Singapore-based utility group with water and wastewater treatment operations in multiple markets, including Chile. Comparable in industrial-scale wastewater treatment capabilities and engineering-led service delivery, though operating at global rather than single-concession scale.
• Aqualia (FCC Aqualia): Spanish water-services company with municipal concession operations in multiple countries, including Chile. Comparable in regulated sanitary concession model and biological wastewater treatment capabilities, though as part of a large international platform.
• Veolia Chile: Chilean subsidiary of global environmental services group Veolia, providing water and wastewater solutions to municipal and industrial clients. Comparable in wastewater-treatment technology and concession-style municipal contracts, but as part of a much broader international portfolio.
• Suez Water Chile: Chilean operations of global environmental services group Suez, providing water and wastewater solutions to industrial and municipal clients. Comparable in technical capabilities around biological wastewater treatment and municipal service delivery, but operating internationally rather than as a single-concession specialist.
• Acciona Agua: Spanish global water-services operator with concessions across Latin America, including water and wastewater treatment for municipalities. Comparable in concession-based wastewater utility model and biological treatment expertise, but with multinational diversification and significantly larger scale.

Others

• Icafal Inversiones S.A. Controlling shareholder of Tratacal (50% equity stake) and a Chilean construction and infrastructure conglomerate with concessions in adjacent sectors. Relevant as the corporate parent rather than a direct operational peer; valuable for understanding shareholder strategy and potential expansion pathways.

Direct peers

• Aguas Décima S.A. Sanitary services concession holder in the Los Ríos region of Chile, providing potable water and wastewater treatment under SISS regulation. Comparable to Tratacal in concession-driven revenue model, regulated tariffs, and single-region service territory, but with broader water-plus-wastewater service scope.
• ESSAL S.A. Chilean sanitary services company (subsidiary of Aguas Andinas Group) operating wastewater treatment concessions in southern Chile under the same SISS framework. Closest direct comparability in concession model, regulatory regime, and wastewater-treatment-only scope, though at smaller geographic scale than Aguas Andinas.

Regional players

• NewAndean Water (subsidiary): Chilean water and wastewater services operator focused on mining-sector industrial clients in northern Chile. Comparable in geographic focus on the Antofagasta mining region and in industrial wastewater handling, though oriented to industrial rather than municipal sanitation clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tratacal-s-a

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tratacal